Outdoor multi-method cooker

Abstract

An outdoor multi-method cooker for preparing a wide variety of different foods at the same time using selective convection, radiant, or conduction cooking operations with or without smoke, or combinations thereof, using a single heat source. The cooker has a horizontal central longitudinal chamber with a firebox at one end and a pair of stacks at the opposed end, a main oven, a pair of lateral smokeless ovens, a warming compartment, and a griddle above the firebox, all disposed transversely on the longitudinal chamber in parallel spaced relation, and a steam table along the upper portion of the longitudinal chamber. The cooker operates on the principle of equalization of natural differential pressures caused by rising warmer air, similar to the draw created by the upper portion of a fireplace, for drafting hot gases or smoke laden hot gases from the combustion source and selectively routing it through passageways into and around the various components.

1. An outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus for cooking and smoking food through the medium of circulated heat and hot gases or smoke laden hot gases, comprising in combination:
 a central horizontally disposed elongate longitudinal chamber having a side wall of curvilinear cross section defining an interior extending along a longitudinal axis; 
 a firebox compartment having a lower portion within a first end of said longitudinal chamber isolated from said chamber interior adapted to contain combustible materials for providing heat, hot gases or smoke laden hot gases and having an access door, a primary air inlet, and an open upper end; 
 at least one vertical flue stack at a second end having an interior in fluid communication with said longitudinal chamber interior and said primary air inlet through which heat, hot gases or smoke laden hot gases are vented outward from said longitudinal chamber; 
 a generally cylindrical main oven having a side wall of curvilinear cross section with an arcuate upper portion extending along a longitudinal axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said longitudinal chamber having one side disposed in heat exchange relation with said firebox compartment open upper end and an adjoining arcuate lower portion isolated from said firebox compartment and enclosed outer ends defining an interior cooking chamber having an arcuate upper portion and an arcuate lower portion, an access door in said arcuate upper portion, and at least one removable rack in said cooking chamber for supporting food to be cooked; 
 first and second laterally spaced inlet openings in said main oven side wall arcuate upper portion near said outer ends, respectively, including adjustable damper means for regulating the passage of hot gases or smoke laden hot gases therethrough, and a central outlet opening in said arcuate lower portion in fluid communication with said longitudinal chamber interior; 
 a generally rectangular griddle formed of metal having a horizontal top surface with a longitudinal side secured to said arcuate upper portion of said main oven side wall above said laterally spaced first and second inlet openings and extending outwardly therefrom above said firebox compartment open upper end and having an outer depending longitudinal side wall and laterally opposed end walls configured to receive heat and hot gases or smoke laden hot gases from said firebox compartment open upper end and direct it onto said one side of said main oven side wall arcuate upper portion and laterally outward therealong toward said laterally spaced first and second inlet openings, and its said horizontal top surface being heated thereby; 
 said adjustable damper means in an open position allowing heat and hot gases or smoke laden hot gases directed onto and along said main oven side wall arcuate upper portion to pass through said laterally spaced first and second inlet openings in said main oven side wall upper portion air chamber arcuate upper portion, through said central outlet opening in its said arcuate lower portion, through said longitudinal chamber interior to said second end, and vented outward thereof through said flue stack; 
 said one side of said main oven side wall arcuate upper portion being preheated by the hot gases or smoke laden hot gases directed therealong, and the heat radiated primarily through said one side of said arcuate upper portion into said interior cooking chamber arcuate upper portion and then rising within said arcuate upper portion causing the hot gases or smoke laden hot gases entering through said laterally spaced inlet openings to swirl about the longitudinal axis of said arcuate upper portion and toward the center of said cooking chamber as they pass through said central outlet opening in its said arcuate lower portion to substantially evenly distribute the heat and hot gases or smoke laden hot gases within said main oven cooking chamber; wherein 
 food supported on said rack in said main oven cooking interior chamber is cooked both by convection heat as the swirling hot gases or smoke laden hot gases pass over and around the food and by the radiant heat radiated through said heated side wall arcuate upper portion and 
 food items and containerized liquid items supported on said griddle top surface are heated or cooked by conductive heat transfer. 
 
   
   
     2. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of said damper means associated with said first and second laterally spaced inlet openings in said main oven side wall arcuate upper portion is independently adjustable to allow adjustment of each of said first and second inlet openings relative to the other to selectively allow passage of different amounts of hot gases or smoke laden hot gases into the interior of said main oven cooking chamber at either end thereof and thereby provide different temperatures at opposed end portions of said interior cooking chamber to cook different food items requiring different temperatures at the same time without having to move or relocate the items. 
 
   
   
     3. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pair of individually adjustable secondary air inlets, one disposed on a respective one of said main oven enclosed outer ends in fluid communication with said cooking chamber including adjustable damper means for regulating the passage of exterior air drawn into said cooking chamber for selectively controlling the temperature level at each opposed end of said cooking chamber to allow cooking of different food items requiring different cooking temperatures placed near a respective end to be cooked simultaneously without relocating the food items. 
 
   
   
     4. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pair of generally cylindrical smokeless ovens one disposed on each side of said firebox upper portion in laterally opposed relation, each having a first end wall disposed in heat exchange relation with said firebox compartment, a side wall and bottom wall of curvilinear cross section extending outwardly therefrom and an enclosed outer end defining an interior smokeless cooking chamber, a bypass passageway extending along said enclosed outer end and beneath said bottom wall in heat exchange relation with said smokeless cooking chamber and isolated from fluid communication therewith, an access door in said side wall, and a removable rack in said smokeless cooking chamber for supporting food to be cooked; 
 said griddle horizontal top wall and longitudinal side secured to said arcuate upper portion of said main oven side wall above said laterally spaced first and second inlet openings and extending outwardly therefrom above said firebox compartment and an upper segment of each said smokeless oven side wall, and its said outer depending longitudinal side wall and laterally opposed end walls adjoined to said firebox compartment and said upper segment of each said smokeless oven side wall to define a longitudinally extending passageway in fluid communication with said upper segment of each said smokeless oven side wall and said bypass passageway extending along said enclosed outer end and beneath said bottom wall of each said smokeless cooking chamber; and 
 a pair of bypass conduits exterior of said longitudinal chamber, each connected at a first end in fluid communication with a respective said bypass passageway and at second end with said interior of said longitudinal chamber, including adjustable bypass air damper means for regulating the passage of fluid therethrough; 
 said adjustable damper means in a closed position preventing heat and hot gases or smoke laden hot gases from passing through said laterally spaced first and second inlet openings and both of said bypass air damper means in an open position allowing heat and hot gases or smoke laden hot gases directed onto and along said main oven side wall arcuate upper portion to pass through said longitudinally extending passageway, along said upper segment of each said smokeless oven side wall, through said bypass passageway along said enclosed outer end and beneath said bottom wall of each said smokeless cooking chamber, through said bypass conduits, and through said longitudinal chamber interior, and vented outward therefrom through said flue stack; whereby 
 said side wall of each of said smokeless ovens is heated by the heat and hot gases or smoke laden hot gases passing through said longitudinally extending passageway and said bypass passageway, and the heat is radiated into the interior of each said smokeless cooking chamber, thereby creating substantially even distribution of heat within said smokeless cooking chambers, and the food supported on said rack therein is cooked by smokeless radiant heat. 
 
   
   
     5. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 4 , wherein
 each of said bypass damper means is independently adjustable to allow adjustment of each relative to the other to selectively allow passage of different amounts of gases or smoke laden hot gases to be drawn through the respective said longitudinally extending passageway and said bypass passageway into said longitudinal chamber interior and thereby provide different temperatures in each of said smokeless cooking chambers to cook different food items requiring different temperatures at the same time without having to move or relocate the items. 
 
   
   
     6. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 4 , wherein
 each of said damper means associated with said first and second laterally spaced inlet openings in said main oven side wall arcuate upper portion is independently adjustable to allow adjustment of each of said first and second inlet openings relative to the other to selectively allow passage of different amounts of hot gases or smoke laden hot gases through the respective said longitudinally extending passageway along said upper segment of each said smokeless oven side wall, through said bypass passageway along said enclosed outer end and beneath said bottom wall of each said smokeless cooking chamber, and through said bypass conduits, respectively, to selectively regulate the temperature in each of said smokeless cooking chambers individually to allow smokeless cooking of different food items requiring different temperatures at the same time. 
 
   
   
     7. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a warming compartment having a longitudinal side wall of curvilinear cross section disposed in heat exchange relation with said longitudinal chamber interior and a longitudinal side adjoined to an outer side of said main oven arcuate lower portion defining a warming chamber and an access door on said warming compartment side wall; 
 said warming chamber heated by the radiant heat of said main oven arcuate lower portion and the hot gases or smoke laden hot gases passing through said longitudinal chamber interior, and food and liquid products therein are maintained in a warm condition. 
 
   
   
     8. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a steam table on an upper portion of said longitudinal chamber having a generally rectangular water pan disposed in heat exchange relation with said longitudinal chamber interior for containing a quantity of water, and a plate at the top end of said water pan having apertures in which smaller pans are removably supported with their lower ends partially submerged in the water; 
 said water pan and water contained therein being heated by the hot gases or smoke laden hot gases passing through said longitudinal chamber interior, and food and liquid products in said smaller pans maintained in a warm condition by the heated water. 
 
   
   
     9. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 adjustable flue control damper means disposed at said second end adjacent to said at least one vertical flue stack for controlling the venting of hot gases or smoke laden hot gases through said at least one vertical flue stack interior. 
 
   
   
     10. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an expansion chamber at said longitudinal chamber second end disposed in fluid communication between said longitudinal chamber and said interior of said at least one vertical flue stack. 
 
   
   
     11. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a generally J-shaped smoke shelf in said longitudinal chamber interior at said second end adjacent to said at least on vertical flue stack. 
 
   
   
     12. The outdoor multi-method cooking apparatus, according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a divider plate in said longitudinal chamber interior at said second end extending angularly downwardly from said smoke shelf and terminating a distance above the bottom of said chamber interior to define a restricted lower passageway at a lower level of said longitudinal chamber interior and slow the evacuation of hotter gases or smoke laden hot gases in an upper level of said longitudinal chamber and facilitate more efficient heat exchange therein.